The Skirball Cultural Center
A Moshe Safdie-designed hilltop campus above the Sepulveda Pass, where glass-walled courtyards and a reflecting pool frame sweeping mountain views.
A Moshe Safdie campus with sweeping mountain views
Founded in 1996 as a Jewish cultural and educational institution named for philanthropists Jack H. Skirball and Audrey Skirball-Kenis, the campus was designed by Israeli-Canadian architect Moshe Safdie, also known for Habitat 67 and Marina Bay Sands. It hosts weddings of every faith but is especially equipped for Jewish ceremonies, with a glatt kosher catering program available.
The Taper Courtyard’s reflecting pool and mountain views are the campus’s signature ceremony spot; the Ahmanson Ballroom offers a curved wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, the Guerin Pavilion has arched ceilings for a larger reception, and the Guerin Courtyard sits tucked into the hillside for something more intimate.
Working within the Skirball’s in-house catering model
3 Little Birds Event Planning & Rentals is a coordinator we’ve worked with repeatedly here, alongside vendors like Vox DJs and Petrossian Aerial. Catering is mandatory and in-house, so we build our shot list around the Skirball’s own event flow rather than an outside caterer’s timeline.
Good to know before you book
- Catering is in-house and mandatory — no outside caterers permitted
- Site fees run roughly $45K–50K for a reception plus a separate ceremony fee
- Museum-campus rules can limit certain decor choices, like open flame
- Glatt kosher catering is available for Jewish ceremonies
Where we like to shoot
- The Taper Courtyard’s reflecting pool with mountain views
- The Ahmanson Ballroom’s curved wall of floor-to-ceiling windows
- The Guerin Courtyard for an intimate, hillside ceremony
- Wide shots that take in the museum’s geometric architecture
What couples and guests notice about the Skirball
The Taper Courtyard’s mountain backdrop is repeatedly called stunning, and it’s the single most-requested ceremony spot.
A 4.9/5 aggregate and near-unanimous recommend rate point to a venue that runs its day-of logistics smoothly.
Mandatory in-house catering limits menu customization compared to bringing in an outside caterer.
Planning your day at the Skirball
Build your Skirball Cultural Center timeline
Move the slider to the hours of coverage you are considering, then pick the size of the day and where the ceremony is. The timeline below rebuilds itself as you change any of them.
The whole wedding at The Skirball Cultural Center
- 2:10 PMArrival, the venue and the details
- 2:40 PMFirst look and couple portraits before guests arrive
- 3:30 PMTucked away while guests arrive. Ceremony space and details photographed
- 4:00 PMCeremony
- 4:30 PMFamily formals
- 5:05 PMCouple portraits: the Guerin Courtyard
- 5:50 PMCocktail hour, guests and candids
- 6:40 PMGrand entrance, dinner and toasts
- 7:55 PMGolden hour, then the evening light
Ceremony set at 4:00pm as a starting point. Tell us your ceremony time and we rebuild the day around it.